If you’ve ever had an issue with ants, you know how frustrating it can be.
Ants suddenly appear, and they seem to come out of nowhere. Before you know it, your kitchen is infested! This blog post will discuss how to find where ants are coming from.
We will provide tips on finding where ants are coming from so you can identify the source of the problem!
If you notice an increase in the number of ants in your home, this could signify an ant infestation. Other signs of an ant infestation include:
Ants coming indoors
Ants crawling on windows and doors
Anthills near the house
Dead ants near entrances or around the house
Sweet or greasy food left out on countertops or in pantries
If you suspect you have an ant infestation, it’s essential to take action quickly to get rid of the ants and prevent them from coming back.
What Kind of Ants Infest Your Home
Many types of ants can infest your home.
Carpenter ants, for example, are ant species that can damage your home’s structure by hollowing out the wood.
Pharaoh ants can contaminate food and spread diseases. Fire ants can sting, causing painful welts.
How to Find Where Ants Are Coming From – 7 Step Approach
Here is our 7 step approach for finding out where ants are coming from before you have an ant invasion on your hands!
Of course, if you have a long one of ants reading the way to the entry point, then it is a relatively easy job to find out where they are coming from! Follow the trail to figure this out, and close off the entry point before any more of them get in.
Sometimes you will find out immediately, and sometimes it takes a while to understand where they are coming from.
Step 1: Clear all Ants
If you have an ant problem in your home, the first step is to clear all the ants. This means finding their nests and destroying them. You can do this by using a vacuum cleaner to remove the ants or spray them with soapy water.
Once all the ants are gone, you can start to figure out where they were coming from.
Step 2: Understand Ant Entry Points
There are a few ant entry points that give them access to your home:
Once you know how they’re getting in, you can take steps to seal those entry points and keep them from coming back in.
Step 3: Check Outside Near Exposed Entry Points
If you see ants in your home but can’t find the source, it’s good to check outside near any exposed entry points.
You should check near entry points for ant nests or ant colonies.
These could be cracks in your foundation, gaps around doors and windows, or any other openings that ants could use to get into your home.
Once you’ve located the source, you can take steps to seal it up and keep ants from getting inside.
Step 4: Place Ant Bait Near Entry Points
Ants are typically looking for food, so you can lure them in by placing bait near entry points and, hopefully, track them back to their nest.
You can do this by using a variety of different methods, including:
Placing small pieces of food near entry points and watching where the ants go
Setting up a trap using a sticky substance like honey or Vaseline and placing it near an entry point
Putting out a dish of sugar water near an entry point
Of course, by laying down liquid ant baits laced with insecticide, you will also be removing the ants. Many baits are taken back to the ant colony to inflict further damage.
Step 5: Monitor Baits
Once you have placed the bait, it is essential to monitor it and see if any ants have appeared.
If you notice that ants are starting to appear, this is a good indication that the bait is working and you are on the right track.
If you don’t see any ants, then you may need to try a different bait or move the bait to a different location.
Monitoring the bait is an essential step in finding where ants are coming from, and it can help you determine if you are on the right track.
Step 6: Close Entry Points
If you’ve been able to determine the area where the ants are coming from, close off the entry point.
This could mean blocking their path with a line of chalk or cayenne pepper, filling in cracks in your home with caulking, or setting up traps.
Hopefully, you can deter the ants from coming into your home by doing this.
Step 7: Remove Attractants
Many things can attract ants, such as food (pet food too), water, and shelter. If you want to get rid of ants, you need to remove these attractants.
Once you’ve removed the attractants, the ants will have no reason to stay in your home.
One of the best ways to remove attractants is to keep your home clean.
Ants are mostly attracted to food and water, so make sure you don’t leave any food or water out. Also, make sure to clean up any spills right away.
Further Help
If you’re still having trouble finding the source of your ant problem, there are a few other things you can try.
Checking for food sources is an excellent place to start. If you find any crumbs or spills, clean them up right away.
Remove things that attract ants into your home. If there are no attractants, you will not have an extensive collection of ants!
Call a Professional
Of course, sometimes ants can be determined and persistent creatures.
If you’ve tried all of these methods and the ants are still managing to get into your home, you may need to call a pest control expert.
Exterminators have the tools and knowledge to track down where ants are coming from and how to get rid of them for good.
So, if you’re at your wit’s end with ants, don’t hesitate to give your local pest control professional a call.
Conclusion
So, how do you find where ants are coming from? You can use the strategies we’ve outlined on this page.
Inspect your home for potential entry points and seal any cracks or openings.
Be sure to get rid of food sources that may be attracting ants and set up traps to catch them in the act. It’s the only way to prevent ants.
If you follow these tips, you should be able to get rid of those pesky ants for good!
After spending the entire night lying awake in a cockroach-infested hotel, I have driven myself to build knowledge on all things pest control. Since then, I've tested pest control techniques to see what works and what doesn't. Now, here I am giving you all the info I have learned!
